ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. shower — rain
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. cue — a hint
  8. bear — the animal
  9. field — farmland
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. field — for sport
  15. cue — for pool
  16. shower — to wash
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — boats

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com